Soldiers at War
by Josiah-228
Summary: Humanity had been fighting them for nearly thirty years. And just when it looked like things were just about over for us they left. Now it is up to the crew of the UNSC Texas Ranger to fined out where the Covenant has gone and why.
1. Prologue

**Chapter 01.**

A solder in full body armor walked through a hallway of drab colored metal and what appeared to be pods with small windows set in them. A closer inspection would reveal that these pods held people who seemed to be in some kind of sleep. The solder continued his walk, lost deep in thought as he considered the state of things and how they came to be.

Every thing was quiet and calm. The crew and my team are in their stasis pods. All nonessential systems have been powered down and now that the crew is in cryo that means life support as well. I was the last one to go in to stasis and therefore my job to make one last check on every thing to make sure there were no problems.

We had no idea how long we will be in cryo and with no one up to monitor things I couldn't afford to overlook any thing.

I sighed as I walked down the empty hallways. My footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, or they would have if the air in this section hadn't been vented. This was not how this was supposed to end. I guess there are worse fates then drifting through space with a fried FTL drive, but after all we had gone through to save the UNSC.

The crew deserved a chance to go home and be with their families.

I stopped and looked out into space through a breech in the ships hull, that the engineers had been unable to seal. I turned round and viewed the scorched bulkhead opposite the breech. I looked at the hole one more time and wondered if any one had been in this hall when it had happened. I then opened the hatch that led to the next section and continued on.

Every one aboard had been through a lot and so had the ship, as an eerie groan that had just occurred gave evidence too. She had served us well, though we took her into hell she brought us back every time, and she would again.

When we got home a friendly dry-dock would be waiting for her.

"Fiend every thing in order Sir." The ships AI asked as I entered the bridge and approached the command char and looked out the bridge view screen at the stars.

"Every thing seams to be alright, at lest for now." I replied heavily at the afterthought. "Have you completed your analysis of the ships systems?"

"Yes." She replied, her color changing briefly. "All non essential systems have been powered down. Main reactors are in standby mode, as are all secondary reactors save one."

"Good. How is the crew?"

"Checking." It was a few seconds before the AI replied. "All stasis pods are functioning well within safety parameters."

"Very well then I guess its time for me to initiate your hibernate mode."

"Yes but if any thing should happen he can't handle, Jarvis has been instructed to wake me."

"What's the estimated time we can stay out here?"

"Baring no mechanical failure the crew can remain in stasis for approximately two hundred and fifty years before reactor shut down."

"And you?"

"I can remain in hibernation for an estimated time of thirty years before I begin to degrade. However this system of AI storage has only been tested once before."

"Well lets hope we aren't out here that long. Good night Rachel." I said in reply before initiating the AI's hibernation mode.

"Good night Sir." I only nodded, feeling quite weary my self and is must have shown as I got a small smile before she went into hibernation mode.

When I got to the cryo bay where my pod was located I got in, thankful the new pods didn't freeze burn you as easily as the old ones. and Jarvis, the ships dumb AI, activated it and I joint the rest of the crew in slumber.

How did we end up in this situation? you might ask. Well that is a long story, but it looks like I have lots of time on my hands. And since I have nothing better to do with my time, I would tell you. However as I am about to fall into cryo-sleep. You will have to discover it on your own. There is a consol in the center of the room I am sure you can fined it as it is the only one on right now. There you will fined that I have compiled all the data concerning the events that led up to now. Including my own personal log, but I worn you…

This tail is not for the faint of heart.

**UNSC Dumb AI Jarvis Cereal number JTN-0317-2.**

I have bean instructed by Spartan-B228 to allow you full access to the ships records, and to answer any questions you might have.

You are currently abort the UNSC ship _Texas Ranger _a refit Halcyon-class light cruiser. She was commissioned in 2510 decommissioned in 2521 and re-commissioned in 2527 as a test bed for experimental technology, she was then refit in 2552 for a mission into Covenant controlled space.


	2. Chapter 01

**Chapter 01.**

**September 05****th**** 2552.**

**Epsilon Eridani Star System, Planet Reach, ONI Headquarters.**

The ONI officers looked up at the holographic star map put together by the AI CTN-0452-9 Cortana. The Naval officers in the room couldn't help but shake their heads at how something like this had been missed by ONI. Then again, under their current commander, ONI was not performing as well as they should have. In fact on something's it had dropped the ball and walked away.

"You're telling me Cortana," Admiral Whitcomb turned to the AI, his face bordering on purple from the building rage with in him, "That we've had this map for some time and ONI only NOW gets around to realizing the importance of those SEEMINGLY innocent rocks that the Covenant decided a defeat was worth trying to get THEM!"

"Yes sir, although I might point out that it could have been a-"

"Quiet!" the Admiral barked, surprising everyone, "I'm well aware, but I will NOT have that in my command."

The Reach LOCOM CINC turned to the Army Colonel who was now sweating crates of bullets. The man had done a lot to sabotage Dr. Catherine E. Halsey, but even this kind of gross incompetence was outside his area. In truth, he had done nothing, for once, to sabotage a report, but unfortunately for him, the real culprit was on her ship, far away and nice and safe.

The admiral drew himself up to his full height and his tone held the strength of their best battle plate for their capitals as he spoke, "I want all your Spartan personnel under the command of Captain Sierra-One-One-Seven and complete control of the projects under Halsey YESTERDAY! You two have been at each others throats long enough and it has cost us to much.""Yes sir admiral!" he was getting off light, very light, his career may end, but at least he had his head.

"Get me Earth HIGHCOM and send a squadron to find and detain the _Point of No Return _and her entire crew and embarked personnel!"

"At once," another admiral said as she turned to go and give the orders. The fact that the _Point of No Return _was not spoken as an UNSC ship spoke volumes for Admiral Parangosky's future in the service.

"Status on the Covenant we've spotted?" he asked next, he needed to know if he could send ships to investigate."They've pulled back to the old 2543 positions sir," an ONI Intelligence officer who belonged to the Prowler Corps spoke, "They appear to be made up of several formations, including those that hit Reach as their center balance."

The admiral nodded, he was soon joined Captain Jacob Keyes. The two men studied what the ONI spook was showing them on a holo-map. The positions would allow them to advance and make contact with isolated garrisons and colonies and even move some refugees home. Yet the Covenant formation was clearly a rear guard action, but the question was why?"Any idea of what they're up to?" Keyes asked. The Spook shrugged.

"Well that's the billion credit question isn't it. We managed to captor two Field Marshals they aren't saying much. But from observing them I don't think they know what happened either."

"That answer gives me little comfort," Ackerson said, looking critically at the map, "A rear guard and a strong one when you think about it, especially since I think I can recognize some of these movements..." the man looked in deep thought. "Admiral if you're going to send ships now's the time."

"Keys how long?"

"Give or take a week, two if you don't want me tipping my hand."

"Make it two. I will also send two destroyers and three frigates with you."

"Thank you Sir. Keyes then saluted and turned to go.

"Alright what's next?" Whitcomb asked tiredly as Keys left the room.

"Commander Carter-A259 is waiting to be debriefed sir." An aid told him.

"Very well send him in."

Moments later a man standing about six and a half feet tall dressed in blue and gray armor entered the room his face darkly tanned as if he saw a lot of sun, he had light blue eyes and had a flattop hair cut. The solder walked up to Admiral Whitcomb and gave him a crisp salute.

"Good to see you Commander." Whitcomb said as he returned Carter's salute. "Alright lets get started. As you are no doubt are aware at 10:43 hours on August 15th the Covenant for no apparent reason retreated from Reach. We need to find out why."

"That is why you are here." Colonel Holland said making his presence known for the first time. "As you know the Covenant never retreats when they are wining and rarely when they are loosing."

"We must find out why they retreated. The saying is if you know your enemy and know yourself you will be victories. We know our selves, but one of the problems throughout this war has been that we know little to nothing of the Covenant. This thankfully has changed somewhat as of a few days ago. However there is much we still do not know. One of those things is why the Covenant left when they had the upper hand? Reports have been coming in that the Covenant have been puling back on all fronts. It is almost as if something has scared them. So we are putting a team together to venture into Covenant space and fined out what is going on. HIGHCOM has made this a top priority." Admiral Whitcomb informed the Commander.

"And you want my team on this?" Carter asked even though he already knew the answer.

"Yes." answered Admiral Rich the head of ONI section three who had been quiet until now. "In about five hours a Halcyon-class cruiser should be arriving from earth. The cruiser is the _Texas Ranger_."

"We have managed to get a replacement to fill the empty position in your team, here is his file." Colonel Holland said as he tossed the folder over to Noble one.

"Command has also decided to give you a AI team member." Admiral Rich said. He then picked up a briefcase from the floor and took out a data crystal chip. He then placed the chip in the rooms holo projector. Instantly a small figure of a holographic woman appeared. She had a pleasant face, and looked to be in her early twenties, her hair was dun up in a bun, and she was wearing a navy uniform .

"Good evening Noble One it is may pleasure to serve with you." said the woman.

"This is Rachel. She will be your teams personal AI carried by you Noble One." Admiral Rich said.

"And how am I supposed to carry an AI around with me Sir?" Noble One asked.

"I am sure you have noticed that your helmets have data port in them. That is where you will place my chip. I will then interface with your armors computers."

"And how will you assist my team?" asked Noble One.

"I can interface with any computer system, I can offer your team real time tactical analyses, I can hack covenant networks, I can also monitor all communications picked up by your armors systems and keep you updated on what is accruing around you that you may not be aware of." Rachel informed Noble one.

"Satisfied Commander?" Admiral Rich asked.

"Yes Sir."

"Now when the _Texas Ranger _arrives you will report to captain Robert Foster. There will be a pelican waiting for you up top. Good luck and God speed." said Admiral Whitcomb.

"Thank you Sir." The Spartan said as he saluted before leaving the room.

Once Carter reached the surface he mad his way to the waiting pelican and his fellow team mates.

"So who did Command give us as a replacement?" Jun asked as he seated him self next to Noble One in the pelican troop bay.

"Alfred-B228." Noble One answered as he looked at the folders.

"So he's from Beta company, do either of you two know him?" Jun asked looking at Kat and Six.

"I knew Alfred a little, he was in the saber program with me. He kept to him self mostly, but he was a good pilot." Six said.

"Alfred's file has him, after the saber program working with a team of ODST. Going behind Covenant lines to asses the status of colony's taken by the Covenant and destroying anything ONI didn't want the Covenant to find, that they had not bean able to destroy in the initial evacuation. Then he was sent on a number of missions behind Covenant lines to locate and retrieve packages for ONI."

"So has command given us a new mission?" Six asked.

"Yes every thing you need to know is on this." Carter held up a data pad and then handed it to Kat to upload to the rest of the team.

"So any word on the ship we will be using on this mission?" Kat asked after looking at the data. "I doubt ONI would be wiling to let us have a prowler."

"Their sending a cruiser from Earth the _Texas Ranger_." Carter said.

"I know that ship." Six spoke up with surprise. "I thought it was being used as a test ship for experimental technology."

"It was, but apparently after seeing the after action report for the _Pillar of Autumn_. Command ordered the _Texas Ranger_ cleaned up and refit, so that she could be used on this mission. At lest that's what the file says"

I was at Anchor 12 waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. I was egger to fined out why I had been pulled from my currant assignments and brought back to Reach. I was certain it had something to do with the Covenant's retreat from Reach, but what it was Command wanted was still a mystery.

I quickly came to attention when Noble One stepped through the airlock fallowed by the rest of Noble team.

"At ease Lieutenant." Noble One said. "I have read your file, seams ONI was very pleased with your work." Noble One said as the rest of the team filed in.

"Nice to know you are appreciated." I replied.

"I am Carter, That's Kat Noble Two, Jun Noble three, Emile Noble four, and I believe you have met Noble Six."

"Your stepping it to some shoos that I and the team would rather not see filled, but the brass needs Noble up to full strength. And where he are going we are going to need every one we can get."

"Understood Sir."


	3. Chapter 02

**Chapter 02.**

**October 08****th**** 2552. Covenant Space.**

To simply say we were bored would have been a gross understatement. We were dying of boredom and it was not just us Spartans who were out of our minds with boredom, but the crew as well. Normally we would have gone into cryo, but because we had to be ready at a moments notice that was out of the question.

We had spent jut over a month in Covenant controlled space and not seen so much as a Covenant frigate. Evan in systems were just weeks prior ONI had recorded major Covenant activity we found nothing. It was as if the Covenant had just packed up and left. So when the call to battle stations was sounded we were overjoyed to hear it.

"Sir we just picked up a Covenant ship on sensors." an Ensign at the sensors station informed the captain.

"Have they seen us?" Captain Foster asked.

"Very likely Captain their sensors have a longer range than ours."

"What class is it?" Foster asked eagerly.

"Hard to tell at this rang Sir, but from the readings I am getting probably a CCS class."

"Good, that means they wont likely runaway." Foster said with glee.

"Walker."

"Yes Captain." The ships AI, a man with a sort beard and dressed in 20th century American western style clothing, a long cote with a star pined on it, and to complete the outfit he wore a stetson, asked.

"Time to test out our new toys. Make sure every thing is prepped I don't want to waste this opportunity. And Walker tell the Spartans I want them ready to board that ship the moment its shields are down."

"Understood Captain."

**Spartan Armory.**

"Captain will likely want us to board that ship. So arm your selves appropriately." Carter said.

"That means a shotgun not a sniper." Emile told Jun as Jun began loading his beloved rifle.

"There are plenty of places a sniper can come in handy on that ship."

"Is that so?" Emile scoffed as he picked up a grenade launcher.

"Here." I said as I tossed Jun an M90. "This should do the trick if they get too close."

"What are you planning on using?" Kat asked as she examined an M6G.

"Well I have always enjoyed the Elites energy swords." I told her as I opened a crate and took out a par of energy swords.

"Isn't that considered contraband.

"Well if you do your job well ONI is usually willing to over look a few things."

"Noble team, Captain wants you ready to bored the Covenant ship the moment it's shields are down." Walker informed us.

"Ok Walker we are on our way to the launch bay now." Noble One replied as he loaded his assault rifle.

"Walker what class of ship did we run in to?" Emile asked.

"A CCS class."

"Damn I would have preferred something a little smaller." Jun said.

"Oh come on the bigger the ship the more Coves we get to kill." Emile told him with enthusiasm.

"Ya, but that also means more Covenant to shoot at us." I said.

By the time we reached the launch bay and had our booster frames ready the _Texas_ had fired one MAC round. A moment later we received the green light to launch.

Most Spartans disliked space combat. That I believe is because most have not had the opportunity to participate in it. Most have only been able to watch as the ships around them are destroyed. We feel helpless unable to defend our selves, unable to influence the course of the battle. But when a Spartan is given a fighter and allowed to participate in the battle he or she finds them selves in a world ideally suited to a Spartan. The Spartans quick reaction times, our ability to withstand more G's than an ordinary human, our remarkable eyesight, our ability to think fast, and Spartan time makes us the most dangerous fighter pilots alive.

As we left the _Texas's_ ventral launch bay she fired another MAC round. The Covenant cruiser's shields glowed as they tried to hold back the round. They succeeded, but from the sparking around the ship, we could tell they had been depleted in doing so.

One of the disadvantages the UNSC had had throughout the war was that our ships were usually destroyed before they could inflict enough damage to a Covenant ship to destroy it. Thankfully this was beginning to change, with new MAC gun technology that allowed a MAC to fire more times on a single charge and recharge faster than they had been able to previously. This meant that a cruiser could now bring down it's Covenant counterparts shields and sill have one shot left to cripple or destroy it.

As we began to pull away from the _Texas_. The Covenant Cruiser fired a plasma torpedo. As it sped toward the _Texas_ one of the eight sixteen inch dual mounted turrets opened fire. These sixteen inch guns were a new addition to the ships normal armament and were said to be powerful enough to penetrate the hull of a Covenant cruiser if it's shields were down. However that's not what it was being used for at the moment. Right now it was being used to shoot down the incoming torpedo. Normally this would do nothing to impede the progress of a plasma torpedo, however the scientist on Earth had developed a new type of ammo. The new round was a sort of EMP flak round. The round would detonate just before impact with it's target, hitting it with shrapnel, and EMP. The theory behind this new ammo, was that the EMP would destabilize the magnetic field encasing the plasma of a torpedo, and allow it to dissipate harmlessly in space. And the reason for using the much larger caliber over the normal fifty millimeter and five inch pint-defense guns was the scientist were worried they would not be able to create a big enough EMP blast to dissipate the torpedo.

We watched the torpedo get hit by EMP blast and dissipate harmlessly into space. Finely we had a viable defense against Covenant torpedoes.

_Texas_ answered the Battlecruiser's torpedo with a volley of archer missiles. This was not really meant to damage the cruiser, but to give us a sort of smoke screen. We would fallow behind them as close as we dared and once we entered within range of the Covenant point defense lasers hope that there would be enough missiles to keep them busy until we got close enough to the ship that they could no longer effectively target us.

The last missiles were destroyed just as we had lined up with the cruisers port hanger bay. We all fired our gauss cannons at the sides of the door, three on one side, three on the other in order to knockout out the shield projectors so that we could enter the ship. After that we launched every missile pod we had into the hanger and flew in guns blazing. When the smoke had cleared there wasn't a living Covenant left in that hanger.

"Alright we need to move before this ship can do any real damage to the _Texas_." Noble One said after we had all dismounted from our booster frames. Just then the cruiser shook.

"What was that?" Jun asked.

"That was the _Texas Ranger's_ deck guns. It would seam captain Foster is attempting to knockout the plasma launchers." Rachel explained.

"We don't have time to worry about that right now." Carter barked. "Kat and Jun get down to engineering and seal it off. Emile and Alfred I want you two to salvage as much Covenant tech as you can if you can fined a way to get it off this ship do it. Also If you com across any engineers bring them along, ONI has marked them as a tier one asset. Six your with me will head to the bridge and see what Rachel can fined out. Understood?""Yes Sir." We all answered in unison.

**Fifteen minutes later Covenant cruiser's bridge.**

The two members of Noble team entered the bridge. The shipmaster sat in his command char located in the center of the bridge. And as they entered he turned his char to face them wile the six minor Elites and twelve Grunts. Who had obviously been waiting for them, raised their weapons.

"I knew it was a mistake to pull out of this front, before we had crushed you wretched humans." The Shipmaster a very large but, old looking Elite in gold armor growled as he rose slowly from his char.

The Six and Carter were a little taken aback, by the fact that an Elite would take the time to talk to them. However they did not fail to notes that the other Elites in the room looked much younger than their commander and several were visually shaking.

"I have heard many tales about you Daemons and your abilities, today we will see if that is true." The Shipmaster said drawing his sword.

Carter shook his head. He know something was off the first time he had engaged resistant's after boarding this ship. The crew was green, that meant this ship was more than likely a training vessel, but what was it doing here? He didn't have time to continue with this train of though, he and Six had a bridge to clear.

The Elite Shipmaster began to charge, but was forced to brake off when Carter stuck a Miner Elite with a plasma grenade. The Doomed Elite vainly tried to remove the grenade as his comrades dove for cover, seconds later the grenade detonated. Several Elites didn't get to cover in time and their shields were depleted in the explosion. With in seconds they each received a shaped lump of metal to the head. Four Grunts were also caught in the blast and sent flying across the room.

However the remaining Elites quickly retaliated with their own plasma grenades. Forcing the two Spartans to take cover. Then two Elite miners charged them. However Carter and Six quickly retaliated. Carter emerged from cover and fired his shotgun. One of the Elite caught the blast right in the face at pointblank turning it to jelly. Six managed to bring down the other's shields and put a neat hole through his cranium. Six of the remaining Grunts tried to use their plasma grenades, however before they could throw them they became lifeless lumps on the floor. The explosion from the dropped grenades vaporized their bodies, killed the remaining Grunts, destroyed servile bridge consoles, and killed an Elite. Carter finished the last Elite miner a second latter.

Enraged the Shipmaster charged Noble Six, but before he could stab him with his sword. Six side stepped him, grabbed his arm, wrenched it up so violently that he likely dislocated it, and then throw him against the wall. The Shipmaster growled at Six, Six answered him with a magnum round to the skull.

"Alright Rachel time for you to go to work." Carter said as he removed the AI's chip from his helmet and inserted it into the ships command uplink. Rachel's Avatar then appeared on the holo emitter on the arm of the command char.

"Wow this is roomy, more so than I had expected."

"Any thing of interest Rachel?" Six asked.

"You have know idea. It appears the Covenant have just updated the star map using one they captured from a human ship."

"What! They have our star map?" Carter asked a hint of worry in his voice.

"No not our star map. We captured their original map after the battle at Reach when we were going throw one of the ship we knocked out. At that time the Covenant had yet to leave the Orion arm. Now they have a map that spans nearly the entire galaxy. And the ship they captured doesn't mach any ship in the UNSC. However now is not the time to go into this. I suggest we blow this tub and get the hell out of here."

"I am with you on that one Rachel." The Commander said eagerly.

"Kat how are things coming." Noble One asked over the com.

"We have just finished clearing Engineering, and are sealing the doors now. Once you set the reactor to overload there will be no stopping it." Kat informed him.

"Good, we have got what we came for. When your are done meet us in the hanger."

"Will do Sir."

**Mean Wile Ships Hanger.**

"I cant believe the split lips didn't have better security here." Emile said as he lifted a crate of plasma grenades.

"I think their to busy trying to keep the others from blowing the ship." I replied.

"That's probably true." Emile chuckled. "But I would have liked a little more challenge."

I shook my head. "I think I can live without challenge will I am carrying a crate of grenades." I said as I handed a crate of incendiary grenades to an engineer.

I have to admit when I heard command had designated the covenant engineers as tier one assets I was not as surprised as some. I had read the reports and had observed them my self on a number of missions. Unlike the other Covenant species the engineers did not participate in combat. Marines often left engineers alone because they never posed any threat unless they had been equipped with a shield projector. Even then marines would not always kill them the resin being that the engineers would in some cases project a shield around the marines. However we had never actually managed to capture any of them. Why I am not sure, but now we had about twenty of them helping us lode the phantoms we had acquired.

"I don't like this." Emile said angrily as an engineer floated past him.

"I know you would like to just shoot them or shove them out an air lock and watch them burst, but orders are orders. And you have to admit they are helpful."

Emile picked up a crate of plasma repeaters and began caring them to a phantom. "Doesn't mean I have to like it." he growled.

"Emile, Alfred, We have the data. I hope you have made good use of your time."

"Yes Sir." I replied. "We just have to finish packing the phantoms we acquired and then we are good to go."

"You better hurry we will be there soon."

"Understood Sir."

_**Texas Ranger's **_**War Room.**

"My brothers it is with a sad heart that I inform you the defilers are not as beaten as we believed them to be. We have just learned that the vermin we have been cleansing from this galaxy are, but a dull tip of a larger spear.

The humans we have been facing are a small tribe that the rest of their kind have cast off. The human presences spans even further than we previously believed possible. However if that was not reason enough to wipe them from existents.

They have enslaved other races and have hid the truth of the great journey from them. This will not be tolerated, and the fowl humans will be punished.

"Well that is interesting and disturbing." Captain Foster said after seeing the holo vid. "However this could work to our advantage, as long as we don't do any thing to make the Covenant consider us a threat. We should have some time to rebuild the fleet and implement the new tech being developed."

"I don't understand how there could be more humans out there." Jun said as he lend on the edge of the holo table.

"Well we could speculate on it all we wanted to, but the only way we would fined out is if we go meet them." Carter said.

"And that is exactly what we are going to do." Foster told us.

"Sir?" Carter asked pulsed.

"Son we cant just sit on our ass and do nothing. At the very least we can gather intel on these new aliens. Determine what sort of threat they pose, if any. And fined out if an alliance with the other humans out there is possible."

"Rachel."

"Yes Sir?"

"Prep one of the slipspace probes. Send HIGHCOM all the data that we recovered from the Covenant ship, as well as the after action report, and analyses of new weapons systems. Also include a message informing them of my decision to continue on into the new region of space the Covenant have uncovered. To determine what is happening there. And send the coordinates to the closest system to us, located on this outer rim. Tell them if they want to send us a message to send the probe there."

"Aye Aye Sir." Rachel replied. "Sir I have just finished going through the Shipmasters communication logs, and Mission logs. I may have found two things of interest."

"Well lets hear it." The captain said crossing his arms and leaning back a bit.

"First the ship we intercepted picked up a distress signal twenty-six hours ago and where attempting to track down its origin when we showed up."

"I assume this distress signal was from an UNSC ship."

"Yes Captain. I have attempted to pick up the signal my self but we seam to be out of rang. However the Covenant had the signal recorded and were attempting to decode it. Therefore I was able to decipher the message and discovered it cam from the _Spirit of Fire."_

"_Spirit of Fire_. If memory serves me correctly she went missing about twenty years ago."

"Yes Sir the _Spirit of Fire _went missing after the battle of Arcadia. Captain Cutter was forced to chase after a covenant destroyer when Professor Anders was captured. The ship and her crew were never heard from again."

"Do you have any idea where the _Spirit _is now?"

"No Sir I am however able to give you a general aria with a circumference of about ten light years of where she might be. If we had another ship with us I would be able to triangulate her position and give you a more precise location."

"Never mined Rachel We don't have time to go looking for the _Spirit_ right now any way. Include your findings in the report to Command. I am sure they can spar a few ships to bring her home. What was the other thing you mentioned?"

Rachel then brought up the holo map of the galaxy and highlighted a system. "It seams that the former Shipmaster had a friend in the Covenant high command. Apparently the last time they talked this friend told him about an attack that was going to take place here." Rachel said pointing to the highlighted system.

"Walker." Captain Foster called the sips AI.

"Yes Sir.""Set a course for that system. Lets see what the Covenant are up to."


	4. Chapter 03

**Chapter 0****3****.**

**UNSC Dumb AI Jarvis Cereal number JTN-0317-2.**

"_The fallowing is a battle report retrieved by ONI."_

**Gerrenthum battle report 4/28/3650**

On 4/20/3650 at 07:43 hours. We received word that the Republic world Gerrenthum was under attack by an unknown force of five hundred ships. After meeting with the Chancellor Master Yoda ordered the twelfth and thirteenth fleets to rendezvous with the fifth fleet at Coruscant.

**Note, The twelfth and thirteenth fleets were previously engaged in a three week training exercise, of which two weeks remained when they were ordered to Coruscant.**

After rendezvousing at Coruscant the fleet left for Gerrenthum. At 08:00 hours on 4/25/3650 the fleet arrived at the Gerrenthum system. The task force found a force of about four hundred ships orbiting around Gerrenthum some of witch were bombarding the planets. Master Yoda attempted to hail the unknown fleet, in response the unknown fleet sent a message to every ship in our fleet. This message had been recorded here.

_We are the Covenant and we are the instruments of the gods. The humans are a blight upon the galaxy, and it is the will of the gods that they be destroyed. All of you that have allied yourselves with the humans you do not need to die surrender and you will be spared. _

Five minutes after sending this message the Covenant fleet moved to engage our forces.

**Note. Current known Covenant ships range from around five hundred to three thousand meters. They typically have a smooth and curved hull design almost resembling a large sea creature and are colored purple. The Covenant also employ energy shielding and most of their weapons appear to be plasma and particle based.**

Our forces were caught off guard when the Covenant halted their advance and opened fire on them with a form of guided plasma projectile out side their own effective weapons rang. This left the task force at disadvantage as they were forced to close the range while under fire. Each one of our lead ships was struck by 3 to 4 of the plasma projectiles from the first volley, nearly depleting their shields. The Covenant fired another volley the lead ships again took the brunt of the attack. However with their shields at varying degrees of depletion, a number of them took heavy damage and some were destroyed or rendered inoperable.

At this time our ships returned fire with concussion missiles and proton torpedoes. The Covenant fleet took no apparent action to avoid the barrage of missiles headed for them. The reason became evident when they began swatting our missiles and torpedoes out of existence was a very efficient point defense system. The handful of projectiles that did make it through impacted harmlessly on a silvery energy shield.

Just after this the four largest Covenant ships opened fire with a powerful beam weapon. This new weapon is capable of dropping a Venator's shields within seconds and not much longer to core the vessel from stem to stern.

In an attempt to lessen the effect of the Covenant's fire Mastery Yoda split the fleet into four groups and gave each the objective of taking out one dreadnought. At this time our fighter wings and assault ships began there attack on the Covenant fleet. The fighters and assault ships appear to have drawn some of the Covenant's fire away from our capital ships allowing them to close in with fewer losses. However a large number of assault ships and fighters were destroyed by Covenant torpedoes and point defense guns during their approach. Once they reached the enemy fleet the Covenant point defense was drastically reduced. The assalt ships made their attack runs and broke off the rejoin the rest off the fleets the fighters meanwhile stayed and harassed the enemy.

**Note. Our fighters were engaged by two types of enemy fighters. The first was a larger teardrop shaped fighter and they proved to be very fast, agile, resilient, and possessed potent weapons, we lost many good pilots to them. The second was an almost insect looking craft. It was much smaller, possessed less potent weapons, and was not equipped with shields like its lager counterpart, its only strength was its agility and high speed. These proved to be of little threat unless they were in very large numbers.**

Once the fleet entered weapons range the four battle groups set about the task of taking out the dreadnoughts. Battle group Charlie after about half an hour broke through to their target and shortly after destroyed it. It took battle group Alpha over an hour to take out their target. Battle group Delta only managed to inflict moderate damage to their target after nearly two hours of fighting. Battle group Bravo however was unable to reach its target even with reinforcements from Alpha and Delta.

After nearly seven hours of constant fighting master Yoda ordered the fleet to disengage. The fleet had taken heavy casualties, nearly 1/3ths of its original strength had been destroyed or disabled. Dering the engagement we believe we managed to destroy or disable two-hundred Covenant vessels.

An infiltration team sent to the plan surface reported that there was nothing left, out of the inhabitants rated to be in the billions there were no known survivors. With no one left on the planet the objective to retake Gerrenthum became pointless. Lacking any advantage over the Covenant Master Yoda ordered the fleet to withdraw from the system.

**UNSC Dumb AI Jarvis Cereal number JTN-0317-2.**

"_The fallowing is a holo recording of a meeting that took place on October 2__nd__ 2552. The recording was retrieved my ONI."_

**Playback Chancellor's office time stamp 4/28/3650 09:00 hours.**

An elderly man sitting behind a desk dressed in a dark robe or gown like outfit looks up from his holo pad. "I take it that this Covenant is responsible for the previously unexplained destruction of those three other worlds?" The man asks solemnly.

"We believe this to be the case yes." Replies a man who had a mustache and wore a gray green uniform.

"And do we know where their fleet is now?"

"We have been unable to track their movements." Another man with a beard and dressed is some sort of robe informs him gravely. "They seam to use a method of faster than light travel that we are unfamiliar with."

The elderly man was silent for a moment. "Do we have any idea how many ships they can field against us?" he asked.

"As of yet no. However if you can believe the propaganda they are spreading over the holo net hundreds of thousands." The man in the uniform replies.

"That could be a problem." A younger man in darker robs similar to the bearded man's who had remained silent un till now replies. "We re stretched thin as it is. We can't fight both these invaders and the Separatists. At lest not till the ships that are under construction at Kuat are competed"

"Can we speed up production?" The man at the desk asks.

"Yes, but it will increase the cost." The man in the uniform warns.

"Admiral after today I don't believe you will have any problem with funding. This new threat has the Senate scared and if you say you need more ships and faster than you are currently receiving them. Then I am confident they will give them to you." The man replies.

"Another issue of concern the Covenant is broadcasting a message over the holo net. Calling for all nonhumans to rise up against their human overlords and join the Covenant. We have reports that a number of anti-human groups have already made contact with them. We also have reports that representatives from Geonosis have met with them as well." The man with the beard says. "And it is rumored the Covenant have sent envoys to the Trade Federation, Techno Union, Commerce Guild, and the Banking Clan."

Just then a man with a short military stile hair cut and a wearing a green gray uniform of the same design as the Admiral's ran in to the room.

"I am sorry to interrupt Admiral, but I thought you would want to know. We Just lost contact with the Geonosis occupation force."

**End Playback.**


	5. Chapter 04

**Chapter 04.**

**November 6****th**** 2552. Spartan Cryo Room.**

I slowly opened my eyes as my cryo pod de-thawed. Sensing I was awake my armor powered up. Data began to scroll across my HUD. Vitals, power were green, and shields were on standby.

I have to say I like the new cryo pods fare better than the old ones. Before the war you would have to enter cryo without clothing or risk freezer burn. Freezer burn was not life threatening, however it was very uncomfortable. Thankfully the _Texas_ was fitted with a new Mk IX cryo pods. I don't know how it works, but somehow the scientists did it. Now we do not have to worry about freezer burn. Of course we Spartans were very appreciative of this as it meant we could enter cryo fully armored and ready to go.

"Rachel, how soon till we exit slipspace?" I asked as I got out of my pod.

"We will be exiting slipspace in five minutes." Rachel informed me.

I looked around the cryo bay. Carter was already out of his pod, Kate was just getting out of hers, Jun was running an armor diagnostic, and Emile was sitting in front of his pod reattaching his knife to his armor. He had gotten very agitated when the techs wouldn't let him enter cryo with it, but Carter managed to convince him to part with it temporarily. Then there was Six already waiting near the door.

I then pulled a calendar up on my HUD. " Rachel, you said it would take us thirty-five days to reach the system."

"That is correct Noble Five."

"But my armor's clock shows that we have only been in cryo for twenty-nine days."

"It would seem that the new drive's speed increases the longer it is in use. Since the drive has never been used for such a long period of time before, it would appear that this phenomenon was not known by the team that tested it."

"Thanks for the info."

"My pleasure, Noble Five."

**UNSC **_**Texas Ranger's**_** Bridge.**

"My God!" Was all Caption Foster could say as _Texas Ranger_ exited slipspace to a sobering seen. There were hundreds maybe thousands of ships or what was left of them orbiting around a planet. The planet it's self was like so many other world I had seen, a burning ball of glass.

"Walker how long ago did this happen?"

"Scans indicate approximately one month Captain."

"That means the Covenant should be long gone by now. Walker have a team of engineers and ODST get ready for a little salvage mission. I want to know more about these other Humans the Covenant has gone to war with." Foster ordered. He then turned to the Commander. "I want Noble team to go with them Commander"

"Understood Sir." Carter replied as he saluted the Captain and we exited the bridge.

**Twenty minutes later. Pelican Foxtrot-216.**

The ship we were heading for was one of the most intact ship we had seen so far. All the other ships in this area were heavily damaged, some beyond recognition. This one however seemed to be fine excluding the fact it appeared to be missing the tower section near its stern. Which we had seen on other ships of it's type.

"Looks like the ventral hanger bay is open." The pilot said. "I'll put us down there."

**Five minutes later unknown ship's ****ventral ****hanger**** bay****.**

"Rachel have you found it yet?" Carter asked our AI team member.

"Yes Commander, activating hangar shield now, re-pressurizing hangar-bay, reactivating gravity in three, two, one."

"Thank you Rachel. Have you managed to get into their mainframe yet?"

"Unfortunately the connection to the computer core to this terminal has been severed. I do however have access the ships layout. We should fined the ships data core one deck above us."

"Alright then Kat you and me will head up to the data core. Meanwhile I want the engineers to stay here, Jun keep an eye on them. The rest of you secure the ship."

**Unknown ship's computer core**

Carter placed Rachel's data crystal near the computer core's data port allowing her to transfer into it."

"Well this is nice." Rachel said through the coms system. "Not really much in the way of security in here. It might keep a most human hackers out, but it wouldn't even slow down a Cyber Worrier-class dumb AI."

"That's fine Rachel. Can you tell us what happened here?" Carter asked looking at the body of a human in white armor with a peace of debris imbedded in his chest.

"According to the ships log Lieutenant Grftin Dredman assumed command of the vessel when the bridge and flight control towers were blown away and the entire command crew was killed. With the command crew dead and the ships shield generator destroyed they was a sitting ducks. So the Lieutenant ordered the crew to evacuate."

"Well that explains why there is so few body's. Is there any thing worth wile still in there, or was it all wiped?" Carter asked looking away from the dead body.

"Oh quit a lot actually." Rachel said excitedly. "It would seam they are rather lax when it comes to security."

"What did you fined?"

"Oh just basic data on every known ship, species, and worlds these people know of. As well as blueprints and operating manuals for all the technology on this ship."

"Your kidding! Why wouldn't they destroy all that data before abandoning ship?" Kat asked surprise evident in her voice.

"Apparently they didn't consider it important." Rachel replied. "What ever the case may be this data will be invaluable to use."

"Right well I guess we better get to work. "The Commander keyed his com, "Jun I want you to secure a few of the bodies we found. Doc may want to do an autopsy see how close they really are to use." Carter than trend to Noble Two. "Kat go fined the others tell Six to take the engineers and a few of the ODST to engineering and see what they can fined. Then take Emile and Alfred to the forward hanger bay and see what you can fined there."

"Yes Commander." Kat saluted and ran off.

"Rachel can you patch me through to the Captain?"

"I'll have to rout you through the secondary com relays one moment." Rachel said. "There you go."

"Command this is Carter-A-259 do you read me?" Carter said into his helmet com.

"It's a little fuzzy Commander but we Ready you." Captain Foster replied

"We have secured the ship Captain. Rachel is in the mainframe and found they didn't wipe much if any thing." Carter reported.

"That's good news Commander. Have you found any thing ells?" Foster asked

"We are securing a few bodies for the Doctor to look at. I sent the engineers to take a look at engineering. And I have a team on there way to check out the forward hanger bay."

"Good if you fined any thing let me know captain Fost.."

"Just a moment Captain." Rachel interrupted. "I have just bean going over the specs for this ships FTL drive. I believe it would be useful to remove it and brig it back to the _Texas_."

"How long would it take and what would you need?" Foster asked warily.

"It shouldn't take more than a few hours. As for tools I believe we can fined what we need here. However another engineering team would be useful as well as four service drones."

"All right I will have them sent over. Captain Foster out."

**Main corridor in rout to forward hangar bay.**

"Hay guys come see what I found" I called to the team.

"What is it?" Kat asked as she and Emile came over to where I was.

"I think it is a droid." I said as I removed some debris allowing them to better see what I had found. It had a dome head, cylinder shaped body, white and dark green paint job. Two legs on either side of it, and a round optical sensor was mounted in things dome.

"His sort of cute." Kat said.

"So these people use robots." Emile said. " what's the big deal?"

"Way to kill the mood Emile. This thing will have data on the people it works for. In fact it could be just as valuable as an intact data core." I scolded him.

"Come on what could this thing have in it that would be so valuable?" Emile asked crossing his arms over his chest and leaning heavily on his left foot cussing him to lean.

"This droid looks like it is some sort of utility droid. If so then it was probably programmed to roam the ship unsupervised doing its job. That would mean it could have recorded all kinds of things ONI would kill for, and I mean kill for." I made sure to emphasis kill.

"Well I guess you would know. You are the ONI spook." Emile said.

"I am not!" I said as I lifted the droid out of the debris and set it down. It was a little banged up, but he didn't seam to worse for wear. "Besides I don't think ONI trusts me." I think Emile was about to remark on that, but he was interrupted because the droid I had just found decided to power up. It moved it's domed head around looking at us and then made some beeping and whistling noises.

"Hu the thing must have been on stand by." Kat said. "I wonder what that whistling means."

"I think he was asking us who we are." I replied.

"How can you know that?" Emile scoffed.

"I can't, but the town of his whistling sounded like a question."

"What ever." Emile replied. "If you are don here can we get going? We still have to check out the main hanger bay."

"Ya I am done here." As we walked down the hall I looked back to fined the little droid just sitting there where I had left it watching us. I turned round and faced him "Come on you." I said. "Can't wait here all day." The little droid then looked down the hall way both ways as if he was going to cross a street. Then apparently making up his mined he scurried over to were I was.

**UNSC **_**Texas Ranger**_** Bridge.**

"So lets see if I understand this correctly! You want t install an unknown alien FTL drive that isn't even meant to be used on this ship and that no one except for possibly you knows hoe to operate. Am I correct?" Captain Foster asked Rachel.

"Well technically its not an alien drive and Walker, Lieutenant Sanford, and Lieutenant Commander Hogan have a decent understanding of how it works," Rachel replied coolly.

"Look Rachel I know this drive is supposed to be faster, but unless you can assure me with one-hundred percent certainty that this drive will work and not destroy my ship I am not letting you install it.""Captain I am one-hundred percent curtain this drive will work and I am sure Walker will back me up." Rachel insisted.

"Well we will have to run a few simulations after its installed to make sure every thing is working right, but Rachel is right there should be no problem using the drive," Walker replied, all the wile Rachel was watching him as if she would burn holes in him with her eyes if he gave the wrong answer.

"Fine I will allow you to install it, but Lieutenant Sanford, and Lieutenant Commander Hogan better be in agreement that this thing is going to work before we use it. Understood?"

"Perfectly." Rachel said with a smile.

**UNSC **_**Texas Ranger**_** Hangar bay two.**

"Lest see that's sixty rifles, two-hundred carbines, two-hundred pistols, and four-hundred grenades." I said as I entered the numbers into my data pad.

"Don't forget the thousand or so assortment of power packs for those things." Six reminded me.

"Lieutenant were do you want us to put these walker things?" An ensign yelled out in reference to a number of two legged scout vehicles we had brought back."

"Line them up over there next to those AT-TE's." I instructed

"The what?"

"The six legged walkers." Six shouted back.

"Yes Sir."

"So Six how well did that gunship handle?" I asked.

"It handled surprisingly well, but I would hate to actually take the thing out in combat. Its like fling a target."

"Well you should try out one of those little wedged shaped fighters I brought over. Its like the hot rod of space fighters."

"I will definitely have to do that." Six said "But what about that six winged fighter you found the one were the smaller wings fold into the two bigger ones?"

"It handles well but it's heaver than the small one and it shoes, that aside you do feel better protected, but I don't like having the main weapons mounted on the wing tips. They are too easily damaged out there and it would be more difficult to hit close in targets."

"What did you think of this one?" I said as I patted a yellow colored fighter that looked like a Y when viewed from above.

"I liked it. it's a bit heavier than a Saber and not quite as quick, but you feel like your in a tank and nothing can touch you. You know the sort of feeling you get when fling a Longsword."

"Ya I know what you mean." I said as I remembered my first time fling the Longsword. Mean wile Six was looking around the hangar.

"Hay Alfred where did those droids we recovered go?"

"Rachel requested there help installing that hyperdrive." I said. "Apparently they are a sort of jack of all triads."

**UNSC **_**Texas Ranger**_** Captain's quarters.**

Captain Foster sat in his quarters reading the reports and information packets Walker had sent him. All though a cruiser was one of the most prestige's assignments a captain could receive in the UNSC navy, the Captains quarters aboard one were not overly luxurious, especially aboard a Halcyon-class. The apartment that surveyed as Foster's quarters was not very large, but comfortably accommodated one occupant. The main room held his desk and personal computer terminal as well as a leather easy char and sofa. Connected to this room were two others, his bedroom and his personal shower. Currently Captain faster was seated at his desk reading an information packet on his data pad.

Foster put down his data pad on his desk, leaned back in his char and rubbed his face with his hands. He had been going through information packets for four or five hours.

"Captain long-range sensor drones have picked of a slipspace rupture." Walker informed the Captain as he materialized on his desk's holo emitter. Captain Foster nearly leaped out of his char at the news.

"Walker instructed the drones to self destruct we don't have time to retrieve them." Foster said as he got out of his char and put on his jacket. "Then jump us out of here." Foster then paused for a moment. "Walker what's the status of that hyperdrive?"

"It has been fully installed. Rachel and I have so far run three simulations and were about to perform a fourth."

"Is it operational?" Asked impatiently.

"Yes Captain."

"Good than use that I don't want the Covenant picking up are slipspace wake."

"Where to Captain?" Walker asked as Foster turned to exit is quarters.

"Any were, but her!" Foster shouted back as he ran down the hallway towards the bridge.


End file.
